Stirrup



(No Model.)

H. W. JUDEVINE.

STIRRUP.

Patented MMA-17, 1896.

ANDREW HERMAN PHOTU-UTHQWASHINGTON. D C.'

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IIENRY IV. .IUDEVINE, OF EDGAR SPRINGS, MISSOURI.

STIRRU P.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 556,634, dated March 17, 1896.

Application led October 25, 1895. Serial No. 566,907. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Beit known that I, HENRY IV. J UDEVINE, of Edgar Springs, in the county of Phelps and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements'in Stirrups; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

This invention pertains to stirrups, and the object of the invention is to provide an open or drop-bottom stirrup of improved construction.

The invention consists in the novel features of construction hereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of the stirrup. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a similar view of the same when open.

A designates the upper portion or head of the stirrup, from which is raised the loop B, to which a strap is secured for attaching the stirrup to the saddle, as will be understood. The side bars C and D of the stirrup are pivotally connected to and depend from the opposite ends of the head A, as indicated at E,

the said sides being pressed apart sufliciently at their lower ends for the accommodation of -the foot, while their upper portions converge for the purpose presently to be stated. The bottom or footerest E is pivotally secured at one end to the lower extremity of the side bar O, while upon the opposite end of the said bottom is the tongue G, having its under side cut at an upward incline from its outer end, as shown. To correspond to this tongue the lower extremity of the side bar D is formed with the depression or recess II, into which the said tongue fits snugly. By means of this construction it will be seen that the greater the pressure upon the bottom of the stirrup the more firmly will it be held in proper position.

An upwardly-looped spring I is connected at its depending ends with the opposite side bars C and D, the upper or looped portion of the spring passing through the lug J on the under side of head A for holding it in proper position. The tendency of this spring is to hold the sides normally together.

In case the rider is suddenly thrown from the horse, or in other accidents of a similar nature in which it is desirable that the riders feet be instantly released from the stirrups, this stirrup will, upon the foot being forced upward between the converging sides, separate, thus permitting the bottom or foot-bar to swing downward and effectually release the foot of the rider.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination of the horizontally-disposed head A constituting the upper end of the stirrup, side bars D and C pivotally secured to and depending from the respective ends of the head, a spring connecting said side bars below their pivotal points for normally drawing the sides toward each other, and the foot-bar hinged to the lower extremity of one of the side bars and detachably secured to the other side bar, whereby when the swinging sides are spread apart against the pressure of said spring the foot-bar will detach from the side bar and drop from position, substantially as shown and described. i

2. The combination of the head A, side bars D and C pivoted to the respective ends of the head and depending therefrom, the bowed spring I within the stirrup and secured at its ends to the inner sides of the side bars, and the foot-piece hinged to one side bar and detachably secured to the other side bar, whereby when the sides are separated the foot-piece will drop from operative position, substantially as shown and described.

8. In a stirrup, the combination of a head, the lug depending between the ends thereof, the separable side bars depending from the head, the spring bowed upward between its ends and secured to the said lug, and at its extremities secured to thesaid side bars, and the foot-bar adapted to drop from position upon the separation of the side bars, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY W'. J UDEVIN E.

IVitnesses:

JOHN H. FARGHER, D. F. GATES. 

